The Cambridges & the Middletons did a church photo-op for Christmas

Here are the photos of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attending a church service on Christmas Day in Bucklebury. William and Kate notably chose to spend this Christmas away from Sandringham entirely for the Christmas holiday, and they apparently spent the holiday at Middleton Manor, the huge home that Carole and Michael Middleton purchased with their son-in-law’s help several years back. Many of you said that William and Kate would do a photo-op with the kids outside of the church, but I actually had my doubts. But you guys were right! This photo-op worked exactly like the royal family’s church photo-op at Sandringham. It’s almost as if the Middletons are the new royal family!

Kate wore a fur-trimmed burgundy coat by Hobbs and matching burgundy shoes. She looked nice, although I guess she gave her hairdresser the holiday off, because you can tell that Kate’s hair isn’t professionally blown out. George wore a little grey coat by Pepa & Co, which apparently sold out a few hours after the photos came out. Princess Charlotte wore red tights and a matching red bow in her hair. I’m also including photos of the “Queen Mother” Carole Middleton, plus Michael Middleton, Pippa and the Terribly Rich James Matthews, who seemed to have spent the entire holiday with the Middletons (as opposed to his own family).

As for the continuing conversation about whether it’s rude or un-royal or petty for William and Kate to spend the entire holiday with her family… the Daily Mail seems to be taking a wait-and-see approach. The DM published this piece about how William’s decision reflected a “changing of the guards” when it comes to royal tradition, and blah blah isn’t it grand that William is so “modern” and “middle class”? But I don’t think William did a Middleton-Christmas this year for any political reason – I think he avoided the royals because he’s in a snit with his father about something and because he truly prefers Carole Middleton’s company above all.